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The Island of Bequia is a Caribbean Beauty: Air Canada Restoring Flights to St. Vincent

The St. Vincent and The Grenadines Tourism Authority says Air Canada will resume non-stop flights from Toronto Pearson Airport this fall.

Starting Oct. 30, 2023, flights will operate three times a week on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. That will go to four flights a week from Dec. 11, with flights on Tuesdays through the end of the summer season.

“We are very excited and looking forward to welcoming our Canadian friends this winter with the commencement of Air Canada’s weekly non-stop flights,” said Glenn Beache, the tourism authority’s CEO.

Tourism officials also said two hotels in the Grenadine Islands will temporarily close this summer. Bequia Beach Hotel, a great resort I dearly love, is closed and will reopen Oct. 13. Petit St. Vincent Resort, on the island of Petit St. Vincent in the southern Grenadines, is now closed and will reopen Nov. 1.

Here’s a photo essay from my trip to Bequia a few years back. And here’s a link to a St. Vincent island photo essay.

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Bequia, pronounced Beckway, is a fabulous, laid-back Caribbean island that’s part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It’s about a one-hour ferry ride from Kingstown, St. Vincent, and a pretty ride at that.

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There’s something special about the sense of arrival or anticipation that you get when you’re on a boat coming into a new harbour. It’s a feeling I just love.

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You’ll find plenty of colourful boats in the wide, quiet harbour on Bequia.

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Fort Hamilton is maybe a two-minute drive from central Bequia and offers fine views of the harbour and surrounding hills.

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Building model sailboats is a very popular pastime – and thriving business – on Bequia. Prices are quite reasonable and the boats are beautiful.

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A guide can be found for a very good price and can take you all over the island of Bequia, including a trip to a great lookout over lonely cliffs and the quiet sea.

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The main street on the Bequia waterfront is a great place to shop for fresh fruit or grab a bite. Maybe even a cold beer or two.

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There are quiet, lonely bays to be found all around Bequia. Hire a driver and do some exploring.

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Villas at the beautiful Bequia Beach Hotel are a wonderful way to experience the laid-back attitude on this lovely Caribbean Island.

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No skinny dipping allowed at the Bequia Beach Hotel. What fun is that?

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Princess Margaret Beach is a wonderful stretch of sand in central Bequia. There are small rocks and caves at one end and you’ll find low-pressure vendors selling marvellous jewelry. No complain is right.

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Locals congregate in a boat near Jack’s Bar, a great spot for a bite to eat on Princess Margaret Beach.

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Toast the sunset on a late afternoon cruise back to St. Vincent from Bequia. A great way to end a trip to a sensational island.